Most machines used in manufacturing and other industries require machine fluids for lubrication and function of machine components. Exemplary machine fluids include lubricants and oils which may be based upon hydrocarbon, synthetic and/or petroleum based products. Other types of machine fluids include hydraulic fluids. The machine fluids typically must be maintained within a preferred range of composition and cleanliness for efficient performance of the machine. For example, when oil is used as a machine fluid, the unwanted addition of water or debris may cause the machine to loose efficiency or sustain damage.
In the past, machine fluids are monitored through the collection and analysis of samples of the machine fluid. However, some current sampling and monitoring processes are inefficient, time consuming, and costly. For example, sampling may be taken from the bottom of the sump of machines (e.g., from drain ports), which can mix the lubricant with sediment making effective oil monitoring difficult. Or, sampling may require that the machine be stopped or even drained of lubricant, causing a loss of production of the machine. The best sample location and device enables the lubricant to be sampled from moving (representative) fluid without temporary loss of production. Therefore, an apparatus is needed to more efficiently monitor (through onsite inspection techniques) and sample machine liquids from a single location.